Locals suffer as illegal blasting continues unabated in Bargarh

Bargarh: The residents of Sambalpuri village in Bargarh district are having a harrowing time due to the high intensity sound of alleged illegal blasting in a stone quarry in the region.

With the use of JCB and driller machines, and also by performing blasts, tonnes of stones are being allegedly smuggled from the quarry. On the other hand, the high intensity sound of the blasts is giving sleepless nights and distressing days to the villagers.

The locals also alleged that the walls of their houses have developed cracks due to the unabated blasts.

“We feel disturbed every now and then. Children cannot concentrate on studies due to the blasting activities. We can feel the tremors due to the explosion. Our houses have also developed cracks but the concerned administration has turned deaf ears towards our problems,” alleged a local resident Pandaba Pradhan.

Another local Sadashib said, “As the quarry is just 100 metres away from our village, our children are getting disturbed due to the high intensity blasts at regular intervals.”

He further alleged that even though the local Tehsildar and in-charge of the local police station have been apprised of the matter, they are yet to take any legal action.

According to sources, a Bhubaneswar-based Adi Shakti company has been given the tender of mining in 2 acre and 13 decimal of land near Sambalpuri village. However, it is being alleged that the concerned company has already extracted the permitted amount of boulders and now indulged in illegal mining.

It is also alleged that though the administration has permitted mining using only hammers, the concerned company is illegally mining with the help of machines and explosives.

“We have received complaints that the company is extracting more than the granted lease. I along with Revenue Supervisor and Revenue Inspector will visit the spot and if we find any irregularities, we will impose fine and cancel the lease of the company,” informed Tehsilar of Ambabhona, Sadakar Kumbhar.

The authorities of Adi Shakti firm couldn’t be contacted to comment on the allegations levelled against them.